Daily Yellowstone journal., 1887-02-27
Sunday, February AZ, 1857.
MONTANA RAILWAYS.

MONTANA RAILWAYS.
In q recent edition of the Salt Lake
Tribune the following article appeared
In reference TO Montana railway mat.
tiers: 1.-THE railway situation in Monta.
ma is becoming interesting. The pio-
neer line, the Utah 4 Northern. prom
Uses TO be soon widened out to n broad
gauge and have its steep'grades lower
ed and its alignment over the diff.
cult portions greatly improved, so as
to prevent the annoying 5lockades
such ss have occurred the past few
weeks. Between Butte, Anaconda.
aud Garrison, the guage was widened
last July, since which time the road
has been operated by a company
known rs the Montana Union, in
which both the Union Pacific and
Northern Pacific are interested. Like
many other compromised schemes be-
tween competing roads, this has al
ready become a source OF difference be-
tween the two companies. While the
Union Pacific with its narrow gauge
U. 4 n. held full sway between Gar
rison and Butte, including the Ana
conda branch, the Northern Pacific
was not satisfied, and threatened a
branch from Garrison TO Butte. This
would Fave brought about cutting Of
rates and unlimited pooling OF earn
ings, aud rs such q road would have
greatly depleted the treasury OF the
Northern Pacific to build, it seemed q
wise thing tn form a new company
and operate separately from the two
great corporations. The Northern Pa.
cifc furnished rolling stock and a
train vas put on to be run between
Butte, Anaconda and Helena. The
trains were also operated by Northern
Pacific men for a time The question
OF responsibility In case OF accidents be.
came q bone Of contention lately.
The Montana Union people wished
the Northern Pacific 10 shoulder that
responsibility, n goods aud persons
were carried in cars pulled by locomo-
tives belonging to the Northern Pacl-
fc. This the latter company refused
to do. and complained that the Mon
tana Union was being run too much
in the interest Of the Union Pacific.
Agents al Deer Lodge. Anaconda and
Butte, Of the Montana Union, carry
tickets for both the Union and North.
ern Pacific companies and hold To q
strict neutrality as to preference Of
routes. The fact that the Northern
Pacific is getting away with q much
larger share Of the travel from these
points than when partially shut out.
prior 10 the organization OF the
Montana Union, gives the Union
Pacific grounds for displeasule
at the results of the compro-
mise In forming the new COM
pany. What will be the result of the
dispute between the companies is hard
10 surmise. But the millennium IL not
yet come, aud until then conflicting
railways are not expected to be In
harmony-not even after having
formed pools. A dangerous rival Is
making progress rs fast rs IL can, and
in time will give Butte and Helena
added transportation facilities. These
two cities are made competing points
In eastern and western traffic. The
present route, via Garrison. Is l03
miles, crossing the main range at
Mullen Tunnel, with heavy grades,
numerous bridges and a region OF deep
SHOWS. The Montana Central has q
line staked out from Helena to Wickes,
thence through the range to Butte.
This route will be comparatively level,
no place being over fifty feet grade TO
the mile, and will not be so long by
nearly twenty. IL will have v
tunnels. the shortest being It's feet
and the longest $3.50 feet. The com.
pany Is ready 10 let contracts for these
tunnels and for the grading Of the
road bed, except that they await the
signing Of the bill granting the Mani.
toba railway right Of way through the
Indian reservation west Of Buford.
This bill has been passed since this
article was first published. To more
fully understand the situation
the reader must know that the
Manitoba road, with q dozen or more
lines In Dakota and Minnesota, max.
ing 81. Paul the central business point,
have their line run west out TO Mlnot,
527 miles from 81. Paul, and within a
little over 100 miles Of Fort Buford on
the western boundary of Dakota, and
at the junction Of the Yellowstone
with the Missouri. 1t L. proposed to
run to Fort Benton, there TO be met by
the Montana Central, which has the